Wartburg College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Wartburg College charges a net price of $32,908/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $131,632. Graduates earn a median $56,201 ten years after entry, $7,841/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 16.8 years — a 20-year net return of $25,188, a slow but positive payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Wartburg College's 16.8-year payback ranks #1,006 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 21% of them, and #17 of 47 in Iowa.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $32,908/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $131,632 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $56,201 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $7,841/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 16.8 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $25,188 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
How we compute this. Payback = total net cost ÷ annual earnings premium, where the premium is median earnings 10 years after entry minus the $48,360 baseline (BLS 2024 median for a high-school-diploma worker 25+). Total net cost = net price × 4 years. We do not discount future dollars. The institution-wide earnings figure blends every major — a specific program's payback can be far better or worse. Full method on the methodology page.